ED Oates and Bissell part ways

SYDNEY: ED Oates today announced that the business relationship and license agreement with Bissell Homecare Inc. is to be terminated, with the supply of Bissell products to be passed on to a new distributor at a date yet to be confirmed.

“ED Oates is delighted to have represented the Bissell brand over the past five years having captured a leading market position in the wet/dry [vacuum] category, and will be working with the Bissell Corporation in transferring this agency to the new representatives in a professional and cooperative manner,” ED Oates general manager – sales and marketing, David Birch, said in a statement released today.

“It is expressly the plans of the Bissell USA Corporation to have a new agency in place as soon as possible. We would like to thank all agencies and media for their support and commitment to this brand and our drive in better identifying the wet/dry floor cleaning category outside of the very crowded ‘vacuum’ sector.

“Having spent considerable time and money supporting this plan we genuinely feel there are ongoing opportunities with this category.”

Birch stated that ED Oates is currently in the process of a massive product development program, in which more than 80 new products are under development.

“Whilst we have enjoyed success in establishing the Bissell brand our focus moving forward will be in supporting and driving our own brands of which Oates Clean is a market leader rather than ‘agency’ brands outside of our Core business,” he said.

Future plans for Bissell Homecare Inc and dates for a new distributor were not announced.